The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-06-15
ACQUAINTED WITH SNAKES.
EXPERIENCE TOLD BY vERACIoUs
CALIFoRNIANs
Virulence of Rattlesnake Poison -
Birds Protecting Themselves
Against Snakes.

Against Snakes.
A number of Californians met short
time ago in the Hoffman House, New
York and got to telling snake stories in
presence of Times reporter. Col. Gil
lette began by a learned dissertation
upon the virulence of the rattlesnake
poison. He told of miner on the Yuba,
in early days, who was bitten through
the bootleg by big ''rattler" and died.
His traps were taken care of, including
the boots he wore when bitten. Nobody
wore them, however, for eight months.
Then miner put them on, and in so do
ing scratched his leg slightly. In eight
hours he was dead, and the needle-like
fang of the rattle-snake was found stick
ing through the bootleg. The poison
had kept its strength during all that
period.
"The strangest thing about the poison,
too" said another, ''is the fact that the
chemical analysis of it shows it to be
composed of the most harmless ingred
tents, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and
carbon, nothing more. 1t can be swal-
lowed without the slightest injury"
ooh, yes" said gentleman of un-
questioned veracity, "I've eaten rattle
snake in Arizona, not because l was snake
hungry, but out of curiosity. The meat
is white as milk and very delicate. The
Yuma Indians are very fond of it."
Speaking of Yuma, " said a surveyor,
Just in from the Phoenix Mine, II was
surveying in San Diego county in 1878
with General H. l. Wiley, late Surveyor
General of California. lisa bad country
cl,
brown, nearly the color Of the rocks and
sand, and you're liable at any time to
walk into one. In the hot season they
get blind and silent, and strike without
rattling, just at the time when their
poison is at its worst. There's curious
fact, by the way, that every plain in
Southern California exemplifes. Ordi-
narily birds make their nests where they
can't be seen without difficulty. You
know how hard it is to find birds nest
in the average tree. Well, all over these
plains there grows a cactus called the
'choya.' 1t is just a collection of thin
prickly sticks, branching and covered
with spines. But pretty nearly every
'choya' you see has a birds nest in it,
rising little above the surrounding sage
brush, and in plain sight of everybody.
The birds build in these for protection.
The snakes can't slide up the 'choya,' on
account of the spines. Every snakes
belly is soft, and it takes very little to
penetrate it. You've heard of sleeping
inside of horse hair lariat when camp
ing. Well, that's the reason of it. A
horshair robe is so prickly that rattle
snake won't cross it under any circum-
stances.
II was going to say" he continued,
"that Wiley and l camped by spring
in pretty dry country, there being a
grove of oaks near the water. He and 1
rolled up together at night in two pairs
of blankets and, being tired, went sound
to sleep about nine o'clock. 1t was about
one in the morning when Wiley slowly
wakened. He told me afterward that he
seemed to be under the influence of a
terrible fear that had come on him while
asleep. He opened his eyes, but didn't
dare to move. AS he tried to get his
wits he felt slow, creeping motion of
something heavy going over his right
arm. His right arm was inside the
blankets, and was between him and me.
The General is a thoroughbred. He has
plenty of nerve and presence of mind.
He knew exactly what it was, but with
out moving he called to me:
Ned, said he in quiet tone.
II was sound asleep. He had to call
three times before l, fortunately without
moving, said:
"'WhatP
"'Do not move muscle, said he
DO you understand mep
90 sXac cold Vo1, cop hot 7 x,,o,
wide awake then.
"'There is a rattlesnake in the blanket!
between us. When l say three kicE
loose and jump.
"'One, two, three said the Genera
slowly, and we jumped. They were prettl
good jumps, as you can imagine. Thei
we threw branch on the fire, and whel
it blazed up we went for the snake. H
had coiled in the blankets, and you cal
bet he was ugly. A pretty big fellow
too-16 rattles and button"
Then General-made contribution
to reptilian data which was interesting.
81 was in the Yosemite Valley" h
said, 'and we killed rattlesnake at tn
foot of the lower Yosemite Fall. Rattle
a rare thing there, as none had been see
in that neighborhood for years. Well
the same afternoon we were driving dow
on the floor of the valley, aftera visit t
the Vernal Fall, and the wagon passe
close to big pine, at the foot of whicl
was a small shrub about ten feet high. ]
had no leaves at that season and was
mass of fine branches, and hanging i
these branches was brightly colored OF
iect that caught my eye. We stoppe
the wagon and found that it was the mo.
beautiful snake ever saw. 1t was abor
three feet long, slender, and colored j
alternating rings of shining black, sno
white, and scarlet red. 1t paid no after
tion to us, but slid very slowly alon
through the network of twigs withol
showing either anger or fear. We watche
it for some time, and thenI started to XII
it, because l ALWAYS kill snakes on pril
ciple.
Hold on, said the driver.
"'What is itP said l.
f" 4 wouldn't kill that snake said h
That's a King snake
"'And what's King snakeY
- Itis the only thiDD I'm the world In